Larry Ray Dunivant

Larry Ray Dunivant, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, at his home, with his wife and son by his side.

Larry's adventure began on February 4th, 1941, in the Appalachian mountain town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. Born to Marshall and Della Dunivant, he was a fort-buildin’, lemon-pie stealin’, little son-of-a-coal-miner. The fourth of eight children growing up in a two-bedroom house rented from the coal company. The mountains were his playground, and he loved them.

Those mountains taught him to build, hunt, and play until his father got a job in the automobile industry in Detroit, Michigan, where, at 14 years old, he stood in awe of his first flush toilet. In bib-overalls and a potato-sack shirt, he struggled to adapt to the big city, and he and his brother had to fight their way through high school. Wanting out, at only 17, he lied his way into the army. He headed to Korea and became a paratrooper, ultimately making it to the prestigious 8th Army Honor Guard, where he once had the privilege of serving as bodyguard to Angie Dickinson, who promptly embarrassed him on stage with a few pointedly lewd comments in front of a literal army of men.

Honorably discharged, he returned from service and got a job hanging bumpers at Chevy Spring & Bumper in 1961. He was young, wild, and looking for trouble. 

That is, until he met Virginia Marie Zagata, better known to some as Ginny Dunivant, and to Larry as the love of his life. He knew he had to shape up…mostly. They ended up marrying on September 30th, 1967 (and recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary). They bought a mobile home and a few years later, had their only son, John. Larry was proud to be his Boy Scout Leader, and he enjoyed teaching the troops his mountain lessons of building fires and dog sleds, shooting rifles and craps, and how to butter corn-on-the-cob using only your hand. He also told the best ghost stories, and kept everyone up all night.

He had a deep passion for hunting and would return to the mountains as often as he could. Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho & Montana were his home-away-from-home.

Larry was full of love and shared it everywhere he went. He loved the Lions before it was cool, and he loved terrible roadside attractions and dime-store museums. He loved to make the chili on Friday nights at the Dunivant family canoe trip, and he loved making hundreds of pancakes on Sunday morning with his best friend Charlie. He loved telling ghost stories and dirty jokes by the fire, and passing bottles of Schnapps & whiskey.

He loved dirty jokes as much as he hated pickles.

He loved Westerns, being mistaken for Kenny Rogers, and he REALLY loved to play golf.

He loved to help his friends and family, especially when it came to building. He was a master carpenter and loved to share his skills. He tirelessly rebuilt bathrooms, remodeled kitchens, basements, and so much more.

And, no matter what, he ALWAYS dutifully built whatever Ginny wanted. Carpentry was his love language, and he was fluent.

Eventually, after 38 years at GM, Larry retired as a Senior Industrial Engineer, moved to Florida with Ginny, and had the time of his life. But, after some time livin’ it up in the Sunshine State, Larry and Ginny decided they needed to spend more time with their grandbabies, and moved back to Michigan. Larry was only back in town a short while when his life was devastated by a series of strokes. Although calamitous, there has been so much love and support from family and friends over the last 5 and a half years. And now the mountains finally called him home.

A life well lived, of a man well loved. He will be missed.

Larry was the loving husband to Ginny, the dear father of John (Dawn), and the loving papa to Scout, Isabella, and Oliver. He was also the loving uncle to so many nieces and nephews, family and friends alike.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Marshall and Della Dunivant; Siblings Ken, Bob, Clyde, Carol, Jerry, Bill, and Marsha.

Take me home, country roads.

In lieu of flowers, Larry requested donations to Tunnel of Towers Foundation.